Training device for throwing a baseball

ABSTRACT

A baseball and a method of instructing throwing a baseball is disclosed. The baseball has a seam, a first, preferably green, color zone placed on a first side of the ball, a second, preferably yellow color zone placed around a first circumference of the ball, and a third, preferably red, color zone placed on a second side of the ball. A pair of finger placement markings are carried on the first color zone. The baseball player is instructed to engage in a proper throwing motion, and the ball confirms by maintaining visual line of sight with the first color zone throughout, providing feedback of a correct throwing motion in which the ball is drawn. away from the target with the arm and hand placed in a correct position.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/603,517, filed 5 Jun. 2017.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a baseball training device that is usedto teach proper throwing mechanics.

In the sport of baseball or softball an objective of a player is tothrow a ball with speed and accuracy toward a target, whereby skill inthe art is optimized by utilizing proper throwing mechanics. Properthrowing mechanics can be learned and developed through the use of atraining device. A preferred training device is one that closelyemulates the act of throwing a baseball or softball, provides immediatefeedback as to whether a player is using proper throwing mechanics, andcan be used in a manner that is similar to a standard baseball orsoftball.

One of the most co eon mistakes made by a player when throwing a ballrelates to the initial phase of the throwing motion during which theball is draws back away from the target in preparation for the throw.During this phase it is common for a player to incorrectly position thearm and hand, whereby the palm turns skyward as the ball is being drawnback, thereby causing the player to use a pushing motion when the handreverses direction and moves toward the target. This type of pushingmotion inhibits the speed at which a ball can be thrown by a player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device that trains a player to draw the ballback away from the target with the arm and hand placed in a correctposition with the palm facing away from the player, thereby causing theplayer to use proper throwing mechanics when the hand reverses directionand moves toward the target, whereby the speed at which a ball can bethrown by a player is optimized.

For the purpose of this application the term “visual indicators” may beused interchangeably with the term “visual indicator” or “visualindicator zone.”

The device comprises of a ball with visual indicators located on itsouter surface. The visual indicators can be incorporated into thesurface of the ball during the manufacturing process using any commonmeans, such as, imprinting with ink, dye or stamping, or these visualindicators can be added to a ball following the manufacturing process byusing any common means, such as, adhesive decals, felt tip pen orstamping. The visual indicators are at locations on the ball thatcorrelate to the player's line of sight and to the anatomical positionof the player's arm, whereby the player is able to ascertain whether thearm is positioned correctly as it is being drawn back away from thetarget based on which visual indicators can be viewed by the player asthe ball is being drawn back.

For proper use of the device in a preferred method, the player grips theball with throwing hand placed in a specific location on the ball,wherein this location correlates with the visual indicators and theplayer's line of sight, whereby a hand placement marking or several handplacement markings are present on the ball to indicate said location.

In using the device a player places the throwing hand on said specificlocation on the ball and then draws the ball back away from the targetin preparation for a throw. The player maintains continuous visualcontact with the ball as it is being drawn back and uses the arm andhand to reposition the ball as may be required to maximize visualcontact with certain visual indicators and minimize or eliminate visualcontact with certain other visual indicators, whereby said repositioningof the ball places the arm and hand in the proper position throughoutthe process of drawing the ball back away from the target.

A baseball and a method of instructing throwing a baseball is disclosed.The baseball has a seam, a first, preferably green, color zone placed ona first side of the ball, a second, preferably yellow color zone placedaround a first circumference of the ball, and a third, preferably red,color zone placed on a second side of the ball. A pair of fingerplacement markings are carried on the first color zone. The baseballplayer is instructed to engage in a proper throwing motion, and the ballconfirms by maintaining visual line of sight with the first color zonethroughout, providing feedback of a correct throwing motion in which theball is drawn away from the target with the arm and hand placed in acorrect position.

The ball may include a spin monitoring line that encircles the ball atits hemisphere, wherein this line may be solid or dashed line, wherebythis line provides visual indication as to whether ball is rotatingproperly on its horizontal axis as it travels in mid-air toward itstarget.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1-9 and comprises of a standardbaseball that is imprinted with three visual indicators, several handplacement markings and a spin monitoring line.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a baseball with a first colorpattern scheme;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective rear view of the device with the firstcolor pattern scheme;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view the device with the first colorpattern scheme;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view showing a player's hand gripping thedevice in a preferred manner;

FIG. 5 is a top side perspective view of a player in an initial stage ofdrawing the ball back away from the target with the ball gripped andpositioned in a preferred manner;

FIG. 6 is perspective view showing a player in an initial stage ofdrawing the ball back away from the target with the ball grippedproperly but the hand positioned incorrectly;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a player with the ball fully drawnback away from the target with the pp ball positioned in a preferredmanner;

FIG. 8 is perspective view showing a player with the ball fully drawnback away from the target with the ball positioned incorrectly;

FIG. 9 is a view of the ball spinning properly in mid-flight as it movestoward its target shown from the perspective view of the player;

FIGS. 10-12 are front, rear and side perspective views, respectively, ofan alternate embodiment of a baseball with a second color patternscheme.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodimentsherein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied inother specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has beendescribed, the details may be changed without departing from theinvention, which is defined by the claims.

For the purpose of this application the term “ball” is intended toinclude standard baseballs and standard softballs, as well as balls thatare not considered standard baseballs or a standard softballs. Severalexamples of which include, but are not limited to, balls that may beweighted or underweighted, balls that may be softer or have a cushionedcore, balls that may not have seams, balls that may be hollow, ballsthat may be molded, balls that may be comprised of a single materialthroughout and balls that may be larger or smaller than a traditionalbaseball or softball.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-3, in a preferred embodiment, the devicebegins with a standard baseball 1.

A first visual indicator 2 is preferably a solid circle (preferablycolored, such as green) which is centered on the front of the ball andin a preferred embodiment measures roughly 2½″ in diameter. A secondvisual indicator 3 is preferably a straight solid line. (preferablycolored, such as yellow) that in a preferred embodiment measures ¾″ inwidth and preferably encircles the ball 1 adjacent to the first visualindicator 2.

A third visual indicator 4 is located on the rear of the ball 1 andpreferably covers the remaining surface area of the ball that is notcovered by the first visual indicator 2 or covered by the second visualindicator 3.

In the description above, a three color stoplight scheme is described(green/yellow/red). However, the invention is not limited to this colorscheme, or even colors in general. Rather, patterns, shading, or anyother distinguishing features could be used to signify a differentiatingindicator for the player to visualize as the ball 1 is grasped.

In art alternate embodiment and optionally, a spin monitor line 6preferably measuring approximately ¾″ in diameter is a straight solidblack line that encircles the ball at its hemisphere, crossing each ofindicators 2, 3 and 4. On the front of the ball 1, as shown in FIG. 1and FIG. 3, this line 6 transverses the center of the first visualindicator 2 and transverses two seams 7 of the ball in a perpendicularmanner. On the rear of the ball 1 as shown in FIG. 2 the spin monitoringline 6 transverses the center of the third visual indicator 4 and passesdirectly between the two seams of the ball 7 that are present within thethird visual indicator 4.

In a preferred embodiment, two hand placement markings 5 are located onthe front of the ball 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 to indicate thelocations at which the player's forefingers should be placed on the ball(see, e.g., FIG. 4). The markings 5 are preferably colored lines thatpreferably measure ⅛″ in width. The markings 5 preferably run roughlyparallel to the spin monitoring line 6 and substantially parallel toeach other with, in a preferred embodiment, a 1″ space between them. Ina preferred embodiment, the markings 5 are placed atop first visualindicator 2 and may transverse the entire visual indicator 2, whereinthey transverse two seams of the ball 7 in a perpendicular manner.

In using the device as shown in FIG. 4 a player places the forefingers 8of the throwing hand 9 on the two finger placement markings 5 of theball 1.

FIG. 5 is a snapshot perspective view of the player in an initial stageof drawing the ball 1 back away from the intended target (not shown)with the hand 9 positioned correctly on the ball 1, whereby the playeris positioning the ball 1 to maintain visual contact with a maximalportion of the first visual indicator 2, a minimal portion of the secondvisual indicator 3 and preferably no portion of the third visualindicator 4. Viewing first visual indicator 2 (preferably green incolor) immediately alerts the player that the ball 1 is being throwncorrectly.

In contrast to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 is a snapshot perspective view of theplayer in an initial stage of drawing the ball 1 back away from thetarget with the hand 9 positioned incorrectly, whereby the player hasvisual contact with a significant portion of the third visual indicator4 and no line of sight contact with the first visual indicator 2.Viewing third visual indicator 4 (preferably red in color) immediatelyalerts the player that the ball 1 is being thrown incorrectly.

FIG. 7 is a snapshot perspective view of the player in the final stageof drawing the ball 1 back away from the target with the hand 9positioned correctly, whereby the player is positioning the ball 1 tomaintain visual contact with a significant portion of the first visualindicator 2, a minimal portion of the second visual indicator 3 and noportion of the third visual indicator 4.

FIG. 8 is a snapshot perspective view of the player of the player in thefinal stage of drawing the ball 1 back away from the target with thehand 9 positioned incorrectly, whereby the player has visual contactwith a significant portion of the third visual indicator 4 and no visualcontact with the first visual indicator 2.

At the final stage of drawing the ball 1 back as shown in FIGS. 7-8 theplayer may elect to discontinue the throwing process or may continue thethrowing process and throw the ball 1 toward a target. If the playerelects to throw the ball 1, the player may visually track the ball 1 inmid-flight after it is released from the throwing hand, whereby the spinmonitor line 6 will appear as a solid vertical line as shown in FIG. 9if the ball 1 was thrown correctly and is rotating on its horizontalaxis, and whereby the spin monitor line 6 will not appear as a solidvertical line if the ball 1 was thrown incorrectly and is not rotatingon its horizontal axis.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-12, front, rear and side perspective views,respectively of an alternate embodiment of a baseball 1 with a secondcolor pattern scheme are shown. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG.1, again first visual indicator 2 is preferably a solid circle(preferably colored, such as green) which is centered on the front ofthe ball, but in this embodiment covering the entirety of the first sideof the ball 1. In this embodiment, referring now to FIG. 11, secondvisual indicator 3 is again a straight solid line (preferably colored,such as yellow) but in this embodiment second visual indicator 3 is onthe second side of ball 1, and third visual indicator 4 still located onthe rear of the ball 1 covers the remaining surface area of the ballthat is not covered by the first visual indicator 2 or covered by thesecond visual indicator 3.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changeswill readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired tolimit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed. While the preferred embodiment has been described, thedetails may be changed without departing from the invention, which isdefined by the claims.

I/We Claim:
 1. A ball comprising: a seam; a first visual indicator zoneplaced on a first side of said ball; a second visual indicator zoneplaced around. a first circumference of said ball; a third visualindicator zone placed on a second side of said ball, across said secondvisual indicator zone from said first visual indicator zone; a pair offinger placement markings carried by said first visual indicator zone.2. A ball according to claim 1, said ball further comprising a spinindicating marker placed around a second circumference of said ball,said second circumference substantially perpendicular to said firstcircumference.
 3. A ball according to claim 1, each of said fingerplacement markings crossing said seam in at least one location.
 4. Aball according to claim 1, said first visual indicator zone comprising afirst color.
 5. A ball according to claim 4, said second visualindicator zone comprising a second color, different than said firstcolor.
 6. A ball according to claim 5, said third visual indicator zonecomprising a third color, said third color different than said secondcolor.
 7. A method of instructing a baseball player how to throw abaseball comprising: providing said player with a ball comprising afirst visual indicator zone on a first side of said ball, said firstvisual indicator zone carrying a first finger placement marking, asecond visual indicator zone about a circumference of said ball, and athird visual indicator zone on a second side of said ball, opposite saidfirst side; instructing said player to place a first finger on saidfirst finger placement marking; instructing said player to maintain lineof sight with said first visual indicator zone during a throwing motion.8. A method according to claim 3, said method further comprisinginstructing said player to avoid line of sight with said third visualindicator zone during said throwing motion.
 9. A method according toclaim 3, said method further comprising providing said player with saidball further comprising a second finger placement marking, andinstructing said player to place a second finger on said second fingerplacement marking.
 10. A method according to claim 3, said methodfurther comprising providing said player with said ball furthercomprising a spin indicating marker placed around a second circumferenceof said ball, said second circumference substantially perpendicular tosaid first circumference; and instructing said player to throw said ballto result in said spin indicating marker appearing as a solid verticalline.